Beckhoff reported July 28 that when it elevated the industrial computer to central control system status four decades ago, it was a paradigm shift in automation technology. For 40 years, its PC-based control philosophy put the power of IT standards and Moore’s Law for integrated circuits directly into the hands of machine builders and automation engineers. By combining PLC, motion control and other technologies, such as measurement technology, robotics and machine vision, into one integrated platform, today’s PC-based control users benefit from outstanding performance combined with space and cost savings.

In the 1980s, industrial manufacturing was dominated by traditional, hardware-based programmable logic controllers (PLC). The omnipresent PLC was considered reliable, but it was also inflexible, expensive and offered limited computing power compared to personal computers (PC). In 1986, Beckhoff responded to the limitations of hardware PLCs by delivering the first industrial PC-based (IPC) machine control system, which gave the target application—a double miter saw—a boost in power and productivity.

Separating PLC and hardware aids flexibility

Beckhoff explains its decisive technological step was abstracting PLC functions from proprietary hardware to a flexible solution based on industrial IT components. These consisted of design decisions made in the 1980s, which are presently called “software-defined automation.” The company ensured deterministic behavior by developing its own real-time software extensions for standard operating systems, mainly Windows initially, but added others since then, including TwinCAT/BSD and Linux. Machine builders and users benefitted from rapid, IT-based innovation cycles and increasing processor performance. Ethernet communication opened up new possibilities in production and for integrating production into databases, ERP systems and IoT solutions. Today, PC-based control forms the basis for physical AI everywhere from factories to distribution centers.

Fast communication removes bottlenecks

Because appropriate I/O systems were needed to bring increasing IPC computing power up to field levels, Beckhoff flanked PC-based control with its own communication solutions. Initially, data transmissions took place via fiber-optic Lightbus. However, EtherCAT protocol joined the industrial market in 2003, changed the fieldbus and industrial Ethernet landscape, and became a global standard.

Likewise, TwinCAT automation environment—which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year—provided the foundation for PC-based control’s software. It also evolved into a universal solution that combines all automation functions into one integrated software platform. In addition to classic PLC logic and motion control, TwinCat’s functions include safety and measurement technology, HMI, and IoT connectivity, and vision, robotics and industrial AI tools. Beckhoff reports that optimum synchronization of all processes via a PC-based controller gives users huge advantages in ensuring highly dynamic and precise automation systems.

More scalability, fewer interfaces—and physical AI

Beckhoff adds that PC-based control is so successful because of scalability and reduced interfaces. “A high-performance IPC, an equally powerful fieldbus with connected peripheral devices such as sensors and actuators, and control software with real-time capabilities for motion and logic control—that’s all it takes,” says Hans Beckhoff, founder and managing director of Beckhoff. This approach consolidates all machine functions, from a simple PLC to highly complex robotics, into one controller. This not only saves space, time and money, but it also eliminates latency between distributed controllers.

In conjunction with its philosophy, Beckhoff has been developing and manufacturing all of its electronic assemblies and motherboards inhouse in Germany’s Westphalia region since the 1980s. This not only offers users security and long-term availability, but also enables them to continue implementing the latest IT standards and processor generations in machine building.

Finally, 40 years after launching PC-based control, Beckhoff reports the industries it serves are increasingly turning away from proprietary, black-box solutions in favor of open, standardized systems. Not surprisingly, PC-based control technology provides the ideal home for IT/OT convergence, as well as for emerging technologies such as machine learning (ML) and physical AI. As its technology celebrates its 40th anniversary, Beckhoff concludes that its PC-based control has the credibility to assert itself as a future-proof, high-performance foundation for automation in manufacturing and other high-tech industries.